Paint brush and bristle adjusting means therefor



PAINT BRUSH AND BRISTLE ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR Filed Feb. 21. 1955 INVENTOR. HERBERT C. MRPENTER fiffarmy 2,787,016 Patented Apr. 2, 1957 PAINT BRUSH A-ND BRISTLE ADJUSTING MEANS THEREFOR- Herbert C- CarpentenFresno, Calif. 7 Application February 21, 1955, Serial No. 489,326

6 Claims. (Cl. I202) My invention relates to paint brushes of-the, type embodying a plurality of brush sections that, as assembled are usable as a unitary large or wide brush for the painting of walls and other large surfaces, but. when disassembled provide smaller and narrower brushes for individual use in the painting of sashes and other narrow surfaces.

It is a purpose of my invention to providea paint brush of the above described type which. embodies a main brush section which is relatively wide, and a. plurality of subsidiary brush sections which. are relatively narrow and have a combined width which is the same as the main brush section, and means formountingall or" the brush sections on a commonhandleso that.the subsidiary brush sections are at one sideof themain brush section to combine therewithin the. formationof a unitary wide and relatively thick. brush, such mounting means affording detachment of the subsidiary- :sections from the main section to allow individual use. of-any one of the sections and particularly the subsidiary sec-. tions when the bristles become so shortened by wear as to render them useless as a wide brush, but. suitable for narrow brushes.

A further purpose of my invention. is theprovisionin a brush of this character of amounting. means: for. the common handle whereby it can be moved to. and secured in either of two positions, one in which it. is centered'with respect to the main brush section afiording balanced use of such section when used. alone inpainting and the other in which it afiords balanced use of all of. the brush sections when assembled to form a unitary brush.

It is also a purpose of my invention to. provide subsidiary brush sections each having a head so constructed as to not only permit it to. be readily combined with the main brush section, but when detached: therefrom affords secure mounting of a handle thereonfor use as a narrow brush.

Another purpose of my invention isthe provision. of a device. in the nature of an attachment for a paint. brush, and which by adjusting it on the brush the effective length of the bristles thereof as.used. in: painting can be varied. As applied to one of the subsidiary brushv sections once it is detached from the main brush section because of shortening of its bristles as a result of wear toa length too short for use in the wide brush, and too longfor use as a narrow brush, the device. can beso adjusted on the brush section as to move the point at which the bristles canbe flexed nearer the brush head, and thus reduce the eflective brushing. length of the bristles to adegree suitable for the narrow brush. My device isalso; applicable to any one of the subsidiary brush sectionsbefore its bristles have been shortened by wear, sinceby proper adjustment of the device thereon the'elfective length of the bristles can be shortened as required for use as a narrow brush to paint narrow surfaces.

I will: describe only two forms of paint brushes;- and one form of: bristle adjusting means; ea-ch embodying my invention, and will then point out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1- is a view showing in sideelevation one form. of paint brush embodying my invention, with a portion thereof in section.

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is ayertical sectional view taken onthe. line 3--3.of Fig. 1.

Fig 4 is a. detailed perspective view of one. of the mounting bars;

Fig. 5 is an elevatioual view partly in section showing one of the subsidiary brush sections and with a handle secured thereto.

Fig. 6 is a. horizontal sectional view taken on the'line 6'-6. of Fig. 5.

Fig. 7' is a top plan view of the subsidiary brush secticn. shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 8 is a fragmentary side elevational view showing one of the. subsidiary brush sections having incorporated therein a device for varying the efiective length of the bristles thereof.

Rfrringtmore particularly to the drawings, in Figs. 1 and 2is shown a main brush section comprising a brush head designated generally at H which is preferably made of wood and comprises an upper block 15 and a lower block 16 bothof rectangular form. The lower block may be made" up of a plurality of longitudinal strips in the conventional manner and to which are glued or otherwise secured the upper ends of bristles 17.

A ferrule 18, constructed of metal, is secured by fastening members 19,.such as nails, to the upper and lower blocks 15. and 16 so asto maintain the latter in parallel spaced relation one to the other to form an intervening gap 20 through which air is admitted to the upper ends of the bristles to facilitate. drainage of paint therefrom, as is conventional. The upper blocklS is provided with a pair of vertical slots 21 at spaced points longitudinally thereof and extending completely through the block.

The slots '21 are adapted. for the reception of a pair ofton'gues 22' fixed to and projecting downwardly from the'lower side of a mounting bar B'preferably constructed of'metal and including a fiat top. portion 23, and abottom portion" 24 inset at. its side and end edges to form intervening shoulders 25. The tongues 22 may be of thechamfered? form asshown to facilitate insertion thereof into the'slots 21, and in so doing the bottom portion 24 of themounting bar is extended into the ferrule 13 to abut the upper side of the block 15, while the upper edges of the ferrule abut the shoulders 25.

The tongues 22 are secured within the slots 21 to maintain the brush section securely mounted on the bar B through the use of a pair of screws 26 extended through one sidewall of the ferrule 18, and through suitable openings in the upper block 15 and the tongues. These screws have shanks which terminate short of the. other sidewall of the ferrule 18, and they are internally screw threaded to receive other screws as will be described later herein. The screws 26 may, in a suitable manner, be permanently secured in the brush head, since. once the parts constitutingthe' main brush are assembled, it becomes unnecessary to remove the screws.

The paint brush of Fig. 1 also includes two subsidiary brush sections, and each section comprises a head H1 composed of an upper block 27, and a lower strip block 28 in which brush bristles 2 9 are secured, preferably in the same manner as described in connection with the bristles 17. These two blocks are likewise secured in spaced relationone' to the other by means of a metal ferrule 30, and by the employment of nails 191' The construction of the ferrule 30 is such that its upper edge extends above the block 27 to provide a seat in which a mounting bar 31 is received, one side and the ends of the bar being formed with shoulders 32,. against which the Corresponding edges' of the ferrule abut.

The opposite side ofthe. bar 31 is shaped as shown in Fig. 2 so that when assembled with the mounting bar B, it will lie contiguous thereto and provide a flat top side for the two bars, and with the upper edge of the opposite side of the ferrule 30 abutting the corresponding shoulder of the bar B, and with the two ferrules and 18 lying one against the other.

' As with the bar B the bar 31is provided on its under side with a pair of tongues 33 which extend downwardly 1 into slots 34 in the upper blocks -27 of the two subsidiary brush sections. These slots. 34 are in the bottoms of recesses 34a formed in the upper blocks. These subsidiary brush sections, together with the ferrules thereof, are, adapted tobe secured to the mounting bar 31, and the latter in turn to the mounting bar B to form aunitary paint brush consisting of three brush sections, by the use of screws 35 which extend through the ferrules 30, tongues 33 and the upper blocks 27, and withthe inner ends of the screws projecting from the ferrules and into the ferrule 18 where they are threaded in the tubular screws 26.

Thus it becomes manifest that the two subsidiary brush sections are mounted at one side of the main brush section, and since the combined width of the subsidiary brush sections is equal to that of the mainbrush section, the resulting structure provides a single arid relatively wide and thick brush especially adapted for painting walls and other large fiat surfaces. If it is desired to use the main brush section alone, the bristles thereof being adequate to' hold sutfieient paint for the painting of surfaces of smaller areas than walls, such as panels and cupboard doors, the subsidiary sections are not mounted on the main section, or if already thereon, are readily detachable therefrom by removing the screws 35 to allow the mounting bar 31 to be detached from the bar B, and the bar 31 detached from the heads H1.

In order that the brush sections as assembled to form a unitary brush may be used to paint, or the main brush section used alone, a handle 36 is provided This handle has one end thereof provided with an axial and screw threaded bore or socket 37 (see Fig. 3), and in which is received a screw-threaded shank 38 of a bolt that has a head 39 of non-circular form. The shank 38 is movable laterally in a slot 40extending crosswise at the center of the mounting bar B. Beneath this slot is a recess 41 in the lower side of the upper portion 25 of the bar B, and in this recess the bolt head 39 is non-rotatably received but movable lengthwise in the recess.

The aforedescribed construction provides means by which the handle 36 can occupy the position shown in Figs. 2 and 3 in which it is substantially centered at the top side of the bars B and 31, to balance and thus facilitate manipulation of the brush sections as a unit in painting, or to occupy the position shown in broken lines in Fig. 3 in which it is centered on the bar B to balance and thus facilitate manipulation in painting of the main brush section. V

The handle 36 can be secured in either of the foredeseribed positions by screwing it downwardly on the bolt until it abuts one or both of the bars B and 31, when it functions to pull the bolt upwardly causing the When, through continued use of the brush, the bristles 17 and 29 wear away to a length unsuitable for use as a wall brush, the narrow subsidiary brush sections can be detached from the main brush section in the manner previously described, and individually used in the painting of window and door sashes, or other relatively narrow surfaces, merely by attaching a handle 42 to each of the sections.

Asshown in Fig. 5, the handle 42 has an integral fiat head 43 indented at its edges to form a continuous shoulder 44, and provided on its under side with a rectangular projection or plug 45 which is of such a size as tosnugly fit within the recess 34a of one of the heads H1. Fixed in the head 43 and projecting downwardly from the plug 45' is a metal tongue 46' of the same shape as one of the tongues 33. At opposite ends of the plug 45 a pair of tapered pins 47 are fixed in the head 43.

The upper block 27 of the section head H1 is formed on. its upper face at opposite ends of the recess 34a with a'pair of tapered sockets 48 in which the pins 47 are adapted to be received.

' Asthe handle 42 is mounted on the head H1 the pins 47 are received in the sockets 48 and frictionally held therein by virtue of the taper of both, while the block 45. is snugly fitted within the recess 34a, and the tongue 46 extended into the slot 34. Also, the head 43 snugly fits within the ferrule 30 with the upper edges of the latter abutting the shoulder 44.

Once the handle 42 is associated with the subsidiary brush section as above described, a two-part fastening member '49 of the same construction, but of less length than the screws 26 and 35, is extended through the ferrule 30, between the upper and lower blocks 27 and 28 and then through the tongue 46. Thus the tongue is secured to the section head, and by virtue of the pins 47, the block 45, and the manner in which'the head seats in the ferrule, the brush section is securely held in the handle against movement in any direction relative thereto.

While I have shown anddescribed the main brush section as'constituting a single brush, it is to be understood that it may be made in two parts as are the subsidiary brush sections, so that when the bristles thereof wear to an unsuitable length for painting large flat surfaces, they too can be detached one from the other and used with handles 42 like the subsidiary sections for painting sashes and the like. 'With this modified construction, the brush as a unit-will have four brush sections instead of three that are individually useable.

In Fig. 8 is shown one of the subsidiary brush sections with a handle 42 attached and a sleeve 50 slidably fitted on the ferrule 30 for longitudinal adjustment thereon to position its lower end at any point along the length of the bristles 29, and in which it can be secured by the fastening member 49 as extended through slots 51 in the sleeve.

head 39 to be tightened against the upper wall of the I to the desired position andresecured therein as previously described. I

The purpose of this adjustable sleeve 50 is to vary theeffective length of the bristles 29. If the bristles are too long or short for proper use in a narrow brush, they can be shortened by downward adjustment of the sleeve, orlengthened by upward adjustment as the bristles shorten as a result of wear. It will be understood that various size sleeves can be used on various size brushes to achieve the same advantages.

' Although I have herein shown and described only two forms of paint brushes, and one form of bristle adjusting means, each embodying my invention, it is to be understood that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention and the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A paint brush, including: a main brush section having a slotted head, and a ferrule secured about the head; a mounting bar having tongues fixed thereto and received in the slots of said head; a plurality of subsidiary brush seetionseaeh having a slotted head, and a ferrule secured about the same; a mounting bar for the subsidiary sections having tongues received in the slots of said heads; means extending through the ferrules. heads and tongues of all of the brush sections for detachably securing the tongues in the slots of the section heads; and a handle carried by one of the mounting bars.

2. A paint brush including: a main brush section having a slotted head, and a ferrule secured about the head; a mounting bar having tongues fixed thereto and received in the slots of said head; a plurality of subsidiary brush sections each having a slotted head, and a ferrule secured about the same; a mounting bar for the subsidiary sections having tongues received in the slots of said heads; means for detachably securing the tongues of the mounting bars in the slots of the respective heads; a handle; and means mounting the handle on the first mentioned mounting bar to occupy one position in which it is centered thereon, and another position in which it is centered in respect to both of the mounting bars.

3. A paint brush, including: a main brush section having a head; a mounting bar; a plurality of subsidiary brush sections the combined width of which is equal to the width of the main brush section; each subsidiary brush section including a slotted head; a mounting bar for the subsidiary brush sections having tongues received in the slots of said heads; fastening members extending through said heads and said tongues and engaging in the head of the main brush section for detachably securing the mounting bars to each other and the heads of the subsidiary brush sections to the respective mounting bar.

4. A paint brush, including: a bristle-carrying head having a recess therein, sockets at opposite ends of the recess, and a slot in the bottom of the recess; a handle having a terminal head formed with a projection fitted in the recess; a tongue secured to the terminal head, projecting therefrom and extending into the slot; pins on the terminal head at opposite ends of the projection and 6 extending into the sockets; and a removable fastening member extending through the terminal head and the tongue for securing the two heads to each other.

5. A paint brush, including: a bristle-carrying head having an end recess therein, sockets at opposite ends of the recess, and a slot in the bottom of the recess; a ferrule secured about the head and projecting beyond the recessed end thereof; a handle having a terminal head with a shouldered portion fitted in the projecting portion of the ferrule; a projection on the terminal head fitted in the recess; a tongue secured to the terminal head, projecting therefrom and extending into the slot; pins on the terminal head at opposite ends of the projection and extending into the sockets; and a removable fastening member extending through the terminal head and the tongue for securing the two heads to each other.

6. A paint brush as embodied in claim 5, wherein a sleeve is fitted slidably on the ferrule in surrounding relation to the bristles carried by said head, and provided with a slot through which said member extends to secure the sleeve in any position of longitudinal adjustment whereby the bristles can be supported laterally against flexing at any point along their length.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 150,110 Van Horn Apr. 21, 1874 1,438,741 Benoit Dec. 12, 1922 1,649,490 Schalle Nov. 15, 1927 2,329,534 Hawkins Sept. 14, 1943 2,629,125 Ferguson Feb. 24, 1953 2,713,177 Pisapia July 19, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 15,075 Great Britain June 30, 1913 488,169 Great Britain July 1, 1938 978,233 France Nov. 22, 1950 

